Insane Photo: A Surfer Late For a surfing Heat, Runs and Jumps off a Cliff....

A surfer in Santa Cruz was running late for his competition so he was forced to improvise...

That improvisation came in the form of a jump off a cliff 30 feet high and into the Pacific Ocean...

"He timed it perfectly," photographer Allen Hughes told The Daily Mail...

The same could be said of Hughes, who captured the spectacular photo of this anonymous surfer in mid-air as a huge wave cascaded behind him...

Hughes was alert to the possibility that an intriguing scenario was unfolding at Lighthouse Point...

"Everyone else was watching the surfers out at sea, but then I noticed this guy running along Lighthouse Point," Hughes told the Mail. "I watched for quite a while and before each heat the surfers would climb down to the end of Lighthouse Point and make a smaller 10 foot jump...

"I noticed this guy run down to the end, he was late for his heat."

That was Hughes' cue to lock in on him...



"I could tell he was anxious so I focused my camera on him and before anyone knew it, he ran and jumped off the cliff," Hughes said. "He timed it perfectly and landed just behind the white water and paddled out. I never did find out who he was. The cliff itself must be 30 foot high and the waves were maybe higher."

Although we can all marvel at the artistic quality of Hughes' shot, it ought not to be overlooked that the surfer got away with a rash decision. Not to be a ghoulish buzzkill here, but the outcome could've been far less favorable...

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Hopefully this was crazy enough to dissuade any copycats jumpers, and perhaps it can be a lesson to all surfers: Pay attention to the time...

For those hardcore photography buffs that might be curious about the gear, according to Metro, Hughes, 65, captured the moment with a Nikon D300S.

Link...
uk.eurosport.yahoo.com...

Pretty reckless and stupid if you ask me. Think of all the rescuers lives he would have put at risk had his little stunt gone wrong.

Looks like he's done it before.

imawlinn
Pretty reckless and stupid if you ask me. Think of all the rescuers lives he would have put at risk had his little stunt gone wrong.

Mmmmm, I don't think he was thinking about anybody else at that moment in time. He just wanted to get into the water........

Meldionne1
Looks like he's done it before.

So how can you tell that he has done it before? Maybe he was just feeling reckless at that moment in time and went for it......

That guy wants to go surfing pretty badly. And he has a huge set of.....well, you know.

Although a photograph may appear to reflect what it's like to surf, it doesn't. Even the story told by a surfer who's been out on a big day, doesn't come close. It's impossible to relate the actual experience unless you've been in water.

Giant, rolling, mountainous waves, thousands of tons of pounding water, powerful one-way rip currents, pumping adrenaline, aching heart and lungs, burning muscles, being sucked out to sea, thoughts of sharks, dangerous wipe-outs, being held under, fear, thoughts of death by drowning, euphoric rides, fun, feelings of magic, and living.

There are no referees, to call a time out. It's just you, mother earth, and hopefully there's a god.

Surf or Die.

seasoul
Although a photograph may appear to reflect what it's like to surf, it doesn't. ... Surf or Die.

I've never surfed, but I've done other stuff. I appreciate the sentiment. At 50 years old, you about make me want to make my way to the coast!